"Right on time," Rick said, leaning over and planting a swift kiss on Joe's lips as he climbed into the passenger seat of the Laredo.
"I try," Joe replied.
"Mayfield okay?" he asked.
"Sounds good," agreed Joe. He and Rick had had lunch there several times but this was the first time they would be having breakfast there.
Rick drove to the restaurant and parked out front. After locking the car, Rick took Joe's arm and led him inside. "You know, we could have breakfast together every morning," Rick suggested after they had been seated.
Joe froze and looked at Rick warily. He had grown very fond of Rick over the past few months but he wasn't ready for that kind of commitment yet and he thought Rick knew that.
"Don't look like that," begged Rick. "I'm not suggesting we move to another level of our relationship. I just don't like the apartment complex you are living in," he explained. "You could move into one of the spare bedrooms at the manor."
"I've had worse accommodations," Joe said trying to reassure him although his words had an effect exactly opposite of what he desired. "My first month here I slept in the abandoned ironworks factory."
"You what?" Rick hissed softly.
Joe shrugged. "I was broke," he confessed. "I got a part time job as a waiter the same night I met you. But it was only for a couple of nights a week and didn't really give me enough money for anything except a meal and a night at the Y once a week so I could shower and clean up." He quite speaking when he noticed how pale Rick was.
"It wasn't so bad," Joe said, trying to make it sound better than it actually had been. "It was a big place and there were quite a few homeless people who were living there so I didn't have to worry about anything major going down. But, compared to that, this apartment is fantastic."
"You should have told me before," Rick declared. He had no idea Joe had been a homeless waif. " I would have arranged something."
"It's over," Joe said. "And besides, you gave me a great job. One that has allowed me to get off the streets. You've been more than generous. Even before we started dating."
"You can't stay there," declared Rick. "I won't allow it. It's the worst part of town. Anything could happen to you."
"It's all I can afford," Joe said with a frown. "Please stop making such a big deal out of it."
"I'll give you a big raise," Rick said.
"No, you won't," Joe told him. "I already make more than I should."
"Then you have to move in with me," Rick stated firmly. "I won't let you stay there alone. If I have too, I will buy the building and move in with you!"
"You can't do that," Joe objected shocked the he would consider going to such lengths just to make sure he was safe.
"I can and I will," Rick vowed. "If you won't move in with me then I will move in with you."
"But if they found out at work, and they will..." Joe broke off as Rick scowled.
"Who cares?" he demanded. "I don't. Please?" he begged, grabbing Joe's hand and holding it tightly in his own. "I promise, it will be strictly platonic. Any advances in our relationship will be instigated by you."
"Are you sure?" Joe asked. For some reason, he was having a hard time breathing. Could Rick really love him as much as he claimed? Frank had purported to care about him but then he had heard how much Frank really loved him. Was Rick like Frank? Should he take a chance? Could he not?
"Okay," Joe replied. "Thank you," he added, his smile reflecting in his eyes and, in Rick's opinion, putting the morning sun that streaked through the window, to shame.
"What are you doing?" Todd demanded of the tall man with clipped black hair as he exited Joe's apartment. "What were you doing in there?"
"And you are?" inquired the man with a haughty air.
"I live across the hall," Todd answered. "And you don't live here."
"Indeed," agreed the stranger. "The apartment is now vacant."
"No, it isn't," Todd stated, blocking the man's path as he attempted to depart with a suitcase filled with Joe's belongings. "Joe lives there."
"Not any longer," the man stated. "Joe has found other accommodations."
"He couldn't afford anything better," Todd argued, his eyes narrowing on the stranger. "And he certainly wouldn't choose worse."
"Indeed," agreed Sheldon. "But Joe is taking up residence on a private estate. He will be well taken care of," he assured Todd. "You needn't worry about him," he ended, maneuvering around the inquisitive neighbor and continuing on his way.
Todd returned to his apartment and snatched up the phone. He dialed a number and waited impatiently for it to be answered. "He moved!" Todd screamed into the receiver when a connection was made. "No, I don't know where too. Have you found out where he is working?"
He listened for a moment. "Good. I'll go there. This has gone on long enough. Joe is going to listen to me if I have to tie him up."
He listened briefly before continuing. "No. I won't calm down. Joe's my brother and I'm bringing him home on way or another."
"I try," Joe replied.
"Mayfield okay?" he asked.
"Sounds good," agreed Joe. He and Rick had had lunch there several times but this was the first time they would be having breakfast there.
Rick drove to the restaurant and parked out front. After locking the car, Rick took Joe's arm and led him inside. "You know, we could have breakfast together every morning," Rick suggested after they had been seated.
Joe froze and looked at Rick warily. He had grown very fond of Rick over the past few months but he wasn't ready for that kind of commitment yet and he thought Rick knew that.
"Don't look like that," begged Rick. "I'm not suggesting we move to another level of our relationship. I just don't like the apartment complex you are living in," he explained. "You could move into one of the spare bedrooms at the manor."
"I've had worse accommodations," Joe said trying to reassure him although his words had an effect exactly opposite of what he desired. "My first month here I slept in the abandoned ironworks factory."
"You what?" Rick hissed softly.
Joe shrugged. "I was broke," he confessed. "I got a part time job as a waiter the same night I met you. But it was only for a couple of nights a week and didn't really give me enough money for anything except a meal and a night at the Y once a week so I could shower and clean up." He quite speaking when he noticed how pale Rick was.
"It wasn't so bad," Joe said, trying to make it sound better than it actually had been. "It was a big place and there were quite a few homeless people who were living there so I didn't have to worry about anything major going down. But, compared to that, this apartment is fantastic."
"You should have told me before," Rick declared. He had no idea Joe had been a homeless waif. " I would have arranged something."
"It's over," Joe said. "And besides, you gave me a great job. One that has allowed me to get off the streets. You've been more than generous. Even before we started dating."
"You can't stay there," declared Rick. "I won't allow it. It's the worst part of town. Anything could happen to you."
"It's all I can afford," Joe said with a frown. "Please stop making such a big deal out of it."
"I'll give you a big raise," Rick said.
"No, you won't," Joe told him. "I already make more than I should."
"Then you have to move in with me," Rick stated firmly. "I won't let you stay there alone. If I have too, I will buy the building and move in with you!"
"You can't do that," Joe objected shocked the he would consider going to such lengths just to make sure he was safe.
"I can and I will," Rick vowed. "If you won't move in with me then I will move in with you."
"But if they found out at work, and they will..." Joe broke off as Rick scowled.
"Who cares?" he demanded. "I don't. Please?" he begged, grabbing Joe's hand and holding it tightly in his own. "I promise, it will be strictly platonic. Any advances in our relationship will be instigated by you."
"Are you sure?" Joe asked. For some reason, he was having a hard time breathing. Could Rick really love him as much as he claimed? Frank had purported to care about him but then he had heard how much Frank really loved him. Was Rick like Frank? Should he take a chance? Could he not?
"Okay," Joe replied. "Thank you," he added, his smile reflecting in his eyes and, in Rick's opinion, putting the morning sun that streaked through the window, to shame.
"What are you doing?" Todd demanded of the tall man with clipped black hair as he exited Joe's apartment. "What were you doing in there?"
"And you are?" inquired the man with a haughty air.
"I live across the hall," Todd answered. "And you don't live here."
"Indeed," agreed the stranger. "The apartment is now vacant."
"No, it isn't," Todd stated, blocking the man's path as he attempted to depart with a suitcase filled with Joe's belongings. "Joe lives there."
"Not any longer," the man stated. "Joe has found other accommodations."
"He couldn't afford anything better," Todd argued, his eyes narrowing on the stranger. "And he certainly wouldn't choose worse."
"Indeed," agreed Sheldon. "But Joe is taking up residence on a private estate. He will be well taken care of," he assured Todd. "You needn't worry about him," he ended, maneuvering around the inquisitive neighbor and continuing on his way.
Todd returned to his apartment and snatched up the phone. He dialed a number and waited impatiently for it to be answered. "He moved!" Todd screamed into the receiver when a connection was made. "No, I don't know where too. Have you found out where he is working?"
He listened for a moment. "Good. I'll go there. This has gone on long enough. Joe is going to listen to me if I have to tie him up."
He listened briefly before continuing. "No. I won't calm down. Joe's my brother and I'm bringing him home on way or another."